Page 126 of The Prodigal Son

Luke gets us coffee as he sits down next to me and whispers, “Don’t be mad at me.”

I turn my head in confusion. “What?”

“I made some calls.”

“To who? Local news stations. You told them where to find me, didn’t you?”

He rolls his eyes. “No. You’ll see.”

Five minutes later, Caleb strolls through the door. He looks panicked until his eyes meet mine. Then he’s running toward me, pulling me into a tight bear hug.

“Holy shit, Isaac. I’m so sorry.”

“I’m fine,” I say, but it’s a lie. Probably the most popular lie out of all of them.

“What can I get you? Are you hungry? Need some sleep?”

“What, are you gonna sleep for me? I wish you could.”

He doesn’t laugh at my joke. “I’m here for whatever you need.” He takes the seat opposite Luke, and we continue to waittogether. No one says anything, and I realize how much I missed this.

Having brothers. Knowing they’ll be there for me whenever I need it. No matter how mad we get or how hard times are. When I call, they come.

It feels instantly more comfortable with them on either side of me. It certainly doesn’t solve any of my problems when it comes to Jensen, but it reminds me that no matter what happens, I won’t be alone.

Part of me wonders if I should feel bad for running away from this all those years ago, but if I’ve learned anything this year, it’s that I won’t regret a single decision I’ve made. It brought me success in my career. It brought me a person I love more than anyone.

I just need him to come out of this alive. The rest we can deal with. He needs time. He needs counseling or treatment. We’ll get it all. We can handle anything that life throws at us together.

I rest my head on Luke’s shoulder and drift off when the automatic doors open again. The bright light from outside shines through, so I almost don’t recognize the tall figure who rushes in.

But as he comes closer to me, my eyes focus until I’m staring at Adam. I freeze in place, as does he. He looks so much older than I remember. He has a dark beard. Longer hair. Weathered features.

Before I can even register what I’m doing, I launch out of my chair and cover the last few steps between us. Neither of us says a word as we collide. My arms wrap around him as he holds me, and the dam breaks again.

I cry silently into his shoulder, shuddering without a sound.

“I’m so sorry this is happening to you,” he mumbles next to my head.

“I’m sorry I left,” I cry. Because I am. Right now, realizing how much I missed my older brother, how much I needed him, I am sorry. I wish it hadn’t happened this way.

“Don’t be sorry. You did what you had to. I’m not mad at you.”

“Thank you for being here,” I reply with a hiccuping sob.

“I’ll always be there. No matter what. You just have to call.”

There’s nothing left to say, so we just hold each other for a little longer. Maybe it’s my exhaustion or what I’ve been through today, but my emotions feel wrung out and beat up.

When I pull away from the embrace and finally look at my brother, it feels like I’ve never left. He’s the same guy he always was, just a little older.

He ruffles my hair with a sad smile, and I try to paste a smirk on my face, but I don’t have one.

What I do have are my three brothers here on the worst day of my life.

I fall asleep on Luke’s shoulder for a while, but then I wake up after about an hour to the sound of Jensen’s name being spoken somewhere in the lobby. I peel my eyes open and watch as an older couple rush into the hospital with terror on their faces.

I lift my head and watch them as they wait for the nurse behind the counter to give them an update on their son. I can tell by the height of the man and the woman’s eyes that those are Jensen’s parents.

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